Just Stay
by TeamByakugan
Summary: Sasuke contemplates on returning to Konoha after the 4th Shinobi World War.


Hues of pink and orange colored the sky as the sun set slowly, sinking into the vast sea of clouds. Onyx eyes caught the fading sunlight, taking in the beauty of the sunset ahead. Sasuke Uchiha sat on a rock overlooking the edge of a cliff. His right arm rested on his right knee as his other leg dangled across the cliff's edge.

The Fourth Shinobi World War had finally come to an end. The world had been awakened from the Infinite Tsukuyomi and everything was finally back to normal, thanks to Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, Obito, and Sasuke himself. Because of that, they were now proclaimed saviors of the world.

Sasuke continued to stare ahead as the clouds finally covered the remaining sunlight. What was to become of him after this war? Sure, he did save the world but could he ever take back all the wrong he'd done on his path to revenge?

_The moon had shone brightly as the night ensued. Seven-year-old Sasuke calmly walked home from a fulfilling day at the Academy. Clutching his bag, he entered the Uchiha compound. _

_Several bodies were strewn across the floor and blood was all over the place. "Mother! Father!" Sasuke screamed in horror._

_Chills ran down his spine as he hurriedly ran home to check on his family. As he opened the door, he found his parents' bodies on top of each other- slash marks on their chests and blood all over the room. "No!" Sasuke frantically screamed sobbing and ran out to see his brother perched on top of a post. The full moon shone behind Itachi whose blood red eyes turned to haunt Sasuke._

_"There is no value in killing the likes of you… My foolish brother… If you want to kill me… curse me! Hate me! And live a long and unsightly life… Run away… run away… and cling to your pitiful life. And then some day, when you have the same eyes as I do, come before me."_

_And after that terrible night, Sasuke was alone. Hatred and revenge filled his heart as he vowed to one day kill his brother and restore his clan._

Memories of the village continued to haunt him as the moon shone brightly in the night sky.

_A teary eyed and sobbing Sakura pleaded with him to stay the night he decided to leave the village in search of power._

"_I… I love you with all my heart!… If you were to stay here with me, there would be no regrets… because every day we'd do something fun, we'd be happy I swear!… I would do anything for you! so… Please just stay with me!"_

_After that night, revenge always came first in Sasuke's heart. Despite the bonds he formed with his team, he couldn't just let his quest for power go. As Sakura threatened to scream, he discreetly appeared behind her and rendered her unconscious with one swift move. _

_And all he could say to her was a soft "Thank you."_

Konoha left him with good memories but the pain he experienced was just too much. Sasuke didn't know if he could simply go back and begin again. He already killed his brother but in his selfish quest, he hurt several others in the process. And now, the gravity of his mistakes was beginning to dawn on him.

"No, I don't deserve to be here. I just can't go back, after all I've done." Sasuke thought to himself.

"I know what you're thinking, Sasuke-kun." A voice shot back at him from behind. He recognized the chakra signature but did nothing to stop it from approaching him. The night wind blew softly, his raven hair swaying with the breeze.

Sasuke sensed the chakra signature approaching him from behind. "Why won't you tell me anything? Why is it always silence with you?" The voice whispered softly.

He couldn't find the right words to say. The answers were only coming up in his mind.

_Why do you need to know?_

The chakra signature was becoming clearer and clearer as its owner came closer to him. "I can still remember that day, when you taught me that solitude was painful. But when you left the village, it was like being all alone. It was so painful." The voice bordered to a sob. "But… you don't have to be alone anymore, because I will always be here for you. Naruto and I, we're always here."

_You're still annoying… Sakura._

Those words were the very same words she uttered the day he left the village. Why did she always have to come in when he was making a major decision in his life?

Thin arms wrapped around his chest. Sakura knelt down and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Even after all this time… I still love you with all my heart, Sasuke-kun." She whispered so softly that only he could hear it. He could feel her soft hair gently brushing against his neck as she sighed and held him closer to her.

"Please… don't go. Just stay here… with me." Sakura whispered sobbing. "I don't want to lose you anymore."

Sasuke closed his eyes and remained still as Sakura's tears dampened his shirt sleeve. She always affected him in some way and made it hard for him to decide. That was why he found her annoying. But somehow, he liked it when she hugged him. It made him feel like he was not alone anymore. He found her presence comforting although he would never admit it. Subconsciously, his breathing steadied as it synchronized with Sakura's own. An air of comforting silence surrounded them both.

Deep inside, it pained him to see her cry like that. He couldn't accept the fact that he was the one causing her pain. More than that, he couldn't understand how she continued to cling on to him, desperately pleading for him to return.

"I'm sorry."

His barely audible whisper broke the silence between them. Sakura jolted upon hearing him speak.

"Sa… Sasuke-kun?"

"I'm sorry… for causing you so much pain. You don't have to keep running after me."

Another moment of silence ensued.

"But I just… can't!" Sakura continued sobbing, her grip on Sasuke tightening. Sasuke could feel her breath shaking as she struggled to get her point across.

"I don't know how… but you just make your way into a person's heart and it's just so hard to let go. Please! Just stay with me."

Sasuke closed his eyes and held her hands on his chest. He didn't say anything like he always did. But somehow, that tiny gesture was enough for Sakura to know that he cared.

He could feel her chest on his back as she held him tightly, never letting him go. Her ear was now resting on his shoulder. The wind was getting stronger as the night grew more chilly. But to Sasuke, the night was warm because of Sakura's comforting embrace. Slowly, he leaned his head and rested it on top of hers.

"Sakura, can we stay like this… forever?" He whispered so softly that it was barely even audible.

It had been years since he last experienced a warm embrace. Sasuke seemed tough on the outside but in her heart, she knew that deep inside him was a young boy yearning for love and affection. He had gone through so much pain in his life. She didn't want him to hurt anymore.

Closing her eyes, she whispered back, "I hope so too. I love you, Sasuke-kun"


End file.
